The Bad Luck of the Irish
by nurzubesuch
Summary: An Irish folk festival is in town but Lassiter doesn't want to participate. This alone isn't strange. But then a young man named Kyle Johnson appears at the station and he seems to know an awful lot about Lassiters past – and his heritage.
1. The Festival

**The Bad Luck of the Irish**

**Okay, everybody. As you certainly already guessed is this a crossover between "Psych" and "The Luck of the Irish". For all of you who haven´t seen the film yet, it definitely helps to watch it before reading this story. Not to mention that it is a great film to watch even without reading this story. For so many reasons. (and btw: despite many voices who said otherwise, I really liked the ending and didn´t find it a bit cheesy)**

**For all of you who already know this awesome Disney-film (or just don´t care and want to read anyway) enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own either Psych nor The Luck of the Irish**

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><p><strong>The Festival<strong>

„I can´t believe you don´t want to go there, Lassie." Shawn cried holding up the poster that read: Irish folk-festival in Santa Barbara. „I mean … its Irish."

„I already told you that I have no time." Lassiter said still writing.

„But …" Shawn was not ready to give up yet. „You could show some Irish tap dancing there." he suggested.

„Its step, Spencer." Lassiter corrected without thinking.

„You see." Shawn cried. „I knew you would know that. You must come with us. That´s your heritage."

„Spencer, I don´t need you to tell me about my heritage." Lassiter replied finally standing up from his work he had leaned over all the time while Shawn had tried to convince him to go to that stupid festival. He had told him that he wouldn´t go. Why couldn´t he just drop the subject?

„He is right, Carlton." O´Hara now chipped in and walked over to his desk. „This festival is only here for one week. And its already Thursday. We should go there."

„Sorry." Carlton replied, a little more peaceful now that he talked to his partner instead of annoying Spencer. „I have work to do."

„Aw, can´t this wait?" she asked, now almost begging like a little girl. „This is both our heritage. I mean the Scottish are not that far from the Irish and they have a connected history. It would be fun. I help you with the files. That way we get them ready faster."

Lassiter chuckled a little but raised a hand to stop her. „I´m sorry." he said. „I can´t. You go there. Have fun. Bring me some corned beef if you want. But I really need to finish this work."

Jules sighed disappointed and exchanged a glance with Shawn. He shrugged as if to say: Well. At least we tried. She agreed with a sad nod.

„All right." she said. „But we will miss you there. Really. You should come. It would be fun."

„Have a nice day there." Carlton said and sat back behind his desk.

„We will." Shawn promised. And with a grin and a wink he added: „We will dance like the leprechauns."

Carlton just rolled his eyes and turned back to his files. What a ridiculous joke, even for Spencer. He picked up his pen and flipped through the file, he had been working on, before Spencer had disturbed him. Sometimes it was a gift to have too much work. It was always good as an excuse for not having time to go somewhere he didn´t want to be. Still he threw a brief look after Shawn and Juliet when they left the station to join the other people who wanted to engage in that funny little festival.

„You would like to go, wouldn´t you?" the voice of Henry Spencer suddenly came up and made him jump.  
>„Dammit, Spencer." Lassiter hissed. He hadn´t even noticed that Henry had sat down opposite of him. Henry just smiled.<p>

„Why don´t you go?" he asked him. „The files are not the problem. You are not forced to take double shifts just because of them. These are old files anyway, nothing that burns. Plenty of time for these. So why …?"

„I have my reasons." Lassiter cried holding up both hands in defence. „Okay? Just leave me alone."

Henry´s smile vanished. He had gotten the message, that Lassiter was serious about that. Though he didn´t understand why, he respected the wish of his coworker, not to want to talk about it.

„Okay." he said and turned around in his chair. He stood up and threw one last look at Lassiter, before he went on to get himself a coffee. Lassiter didn´t look up from his files again. He really didn´t want to talk about any of this. Ever again.

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><p><strong>So, I know this was rather short but its just the intro. The next chapters will be longer. Tell me what you think anyway.<strong>

**And thanks for reading.**


	2. Involuntary Reunion

**Involuntary reunion**

It was late afternoon, when the boy came into the station. Lassiter was just storing some of his files into a folder, when Dobson came in with a young man in his tow. He was cuffed and did all the usual things suspects always did, when they got arrested. He claimed to be innocent all the way through the station.

„It wasn´t my fault." he claimed. „I was at the festival with a friend of mine. You can ask him."

Dobson stopped at the desk sergeant to book his suspect. He didn´t listen to the young man´s words.

Of course he was innocent, Lassiter thought to himself. The prisons were full of innocent people. The head detective chuckled slightly amused. That was before he got a better look at the young man´s face. First he thought he had to lose consciousness. The young man, almost still a teenager actually the way he looked, was somewhere in his mid twenties. He had brown hair and blue eyes. Lassiter had never forgotten the face and though the young man looked a little different now, he still was sure it was him. He hadn´t even needed to see the necklace around the man´s neck. There was a small golden coin on it.

Lassiter immediately turned his back to the familiar face and walked away. He had to be mistaken. That was impossible. Surely Spencer´s talking about this Irish folk festival had messed up his brain. Wouldn´t be the first time that Spencer had that effect on him. The young folks looked all the same these days. It was another boy, thats all. The necklace was coincidence. He probably bought it at a sales card at this festival. Fake nickel stuff painted with gold.

Lassiter looked at him again to convince himself of this. He couldn´t afford to become superstitious now. He needed to be sure. And looking at the man almost managed it to make him believe it. He had been mistaken the first time. Then the man turned around and met his gaze. When he saw him, his reaction was as instantly as Lassiter´s had been. His eyes went big and his face pale. The recognition was both sided.

Something inside of Lassiter dropped down to the bottom. He felt sick. He couldn´t even think properly any more. His feet started to move on their own and carried him back to his desk. To the place where he felt save. His place. The place where he worked, almost lived. Henry sat there on the other side. The older man looked up at him, startled.

„What happened to you?" he asked. „You look as if you have seen a ghost."

Lassiter couldn´t reply. Not for the next twenty seconds. His voice had gone someplace he thought he had forgotten years ago. Then Dobson passed their desks, escorting the young man to the holding cells. Lassiter tried to avoid the gaze of the suspect, but the way his feet had gained their own will before, his eyes forced him to look up now. The young man met his gaze again and kept holding it until the pillar came in the way and they were out of each others viewing range. Lassiter noticed that he had hold his breath as long as they had walked by and started to breath again. That couldn´t be. Mustn´t be. This was not meant to happen. Not here.

„Seems you missed some action." Henry woke him up with his comment.

„What?"

„At the festival." Henry explained with a motion after Dobson and the young man. „I heard there was a fight. Some hot tempered folks had an argument of some sort. I just wonder that they didn´t arrest more of them. Must have gotten away before our guys came there. Maybe I should call Shawn and ask him if he saw what happened." he offered.

„No." Lassiter denied still absent minded. „It was just a fight between kids. No big deal."

„Sure?" Henry asked watching Lassiter closely.

„Yeah." Lassiter answered.

He looked along the hallway, over to the stairs that led down to the holding cells. Again he felt something move inside, that he didn´t ask for being there. It was probably the best thing just to stay here. To work his files just as he had planned to do it. But on the other hand, this hadn´t worked the first time either. He had tried to avoid the festival with it and that had worked. But the trouble had found him anyway. He couldn´t deny that the boy was here. He wouldn´t go away just because he ignored him. At least not too soon. And if he couldn´t avoid it, then he at least wanted to know why. Dammit, he had to know.

He stood up and went down the stairs, almost without feeling the motion his legs made. When he was at the door that led to the holding cells, he hesitated. He threw a look through the small window in the door. He better hadn´t. In there the young man was looking out at him. He had already seen him, Lassiter could tell from the look in his eyes. No way of backing off anymore. So he took a deep breath and then entered the place.

The young man looked at him. He didn´t say a word. He seemed to be afraid. Lassiter was used to all kinds of reactions from suspects who were behind these bars. Some were frightened like this one, some were shouting insults at him and some were even crying. But this time he was as scared as the suspect he was looking at. Though thanks to all these years of experience, he was able to hide this uncomfortable feeling. At least to a certain degree. Experience didn´t help much when you faced a situation that you never even considered to ever happen. And to see this face in his station was surely something Lassiter hadn´t expected. He even had almost forgotten that he had ever met him. But like every hidden memory, it had only needed one second to come back to him. And now he was here. Face to face with his past. A past that should have been buried but it wasn´t. He took another deep breath and gave the young man in the cell a grim smile.

„What are you doing here?" he demanded to know.

„I could ask you the same." the young man answered. „Shouldn´t you be in Ohio?"

Lassiter nodded. So it was him. No way that this could be a misunderstanding. It was him.

„And shouldn´t you be in Utah?" he asked back. „Doing your homework?"

„Yeah, funny." the boy replied. „I´m out of school for seven years now."

„I see." Lassiter said nodding. „Well in that case you should be smart enough to know how to avoid trouble. You know what you did was against the law."

„Are you kidding me?" the boy cried. „That wasn´t my fault. Some drunken guys wanted trouble and they were faster than I was before the police showed up."

Now that was finally something Lassiter was used to hear. But then the young man skipped that part where he explained himself and instead he asked him: „What do you want from me? Revenge?"

„I have no business with you." Lassiter replied. „I want to know what _you_ want. This is my station."

„Your station? Good joke."

„Listen up, boyo." Lassiter hissed and grabbed one of the bars. The young man skipped back a little. „Its no coincidence that you are here, that much I know." Lassiter said. „So tell me why you are here."

„As if you wouldn´t know." the other one replied.

„If I would know it, I wouldn´t ask you." Lassiter said. „You should better talk to me. I could help you out of here."

„Why should I trust you?" the younger man asked suspicious.

Lassiter gave him a mischievous smile. „You barely have a choice, do you?"

In this moment the door behind Lassiter was opened a second time. The detective turned around and faced the chief who just came in. There was another young man following her. A black boy. Also a well known face. When he spotted Lassiter his eyes became as wide as golf balls.

„Detective." chief Vick greeted surprised to see him here.

„Chief." he replied with a nod.

„What are you doing here?" she asked glancing at the suspect behind the bars.

„I … just thought …" Lassiter looked at the young man unsure how to proceed. „You see this young man looked familiar to me and I thought he might now something about one of my cases, I´m just working on."

„One of the cold cases?" the chief asked.

„Yeah."

„And … was your suspicion confirmed?" she wanted to know.

Lassiter looked at the young man again and he could tell that he expected him to say yes, to cause him trouble and blame him for some crime he didn´t commit.

„No." Lassiter said instead. „I was mistaken. Young folks all look the same these days, don´t they? Sorry for the trouble."

„Well as long as nothing worse happened." the chief said with a slight grin and went over to the cell. „Mr. Johnson, your friend just posted the bail for you so you are free to go." she informed him while opening the door. „But next time you visit a folk festival … please try to avoid trouble."

„I will." Kyle promised with an uncertain look at Lassiter.

„You better." Lassiter agreed with a smile. „And now you should go home. Its getting late."

Not only Kyle gave him a strange look for this. The chief seemed slightly confused about her detective´s behavior too. Lassiter just turned around and went back to his desk. It was better to drop the subject before it came to any more uncomfortable questions. He watched how Kyle and his friend left the station and though he tried not to, he couldn´t resist and stood up from his desk and walk to the front door, to look after them. He saw the two young men standing on the street in front of the station, talking with each other. They were gesticulating for the station and discussing wildly. Eventually they started to walk away, but they were still throwing glances backwards over their shoulders.

„Just get lost." Lassiter murmured to himself.

„Wow." a familiar voice said behind him and made him jump. How the hell did Shawn always sneak behind him without him noticing it? It seemed to run in the family that they always did this. „Usually you say that to me and much louder." the fake psychic said now. „Whats up with that guys."

„Nothing." Lassiter claimed. „Get lost, Spencer. What are you doing here anyway?"

„I sensed that something was going on here." Shawn said. „I wanted to know what it was."

„You sensed nothing." Lassiter replied. „You saw the fight and wanted to see how they book the guy."

„That too." Shawn admitted. „And I wanted to tease you with the fun you missed so far. Jules was step dancing with the other guys and Gus is probably still clapping around with his shoes. There is a band singing that sounds just great. Celtic Women they call themselves. You have no idea what you´re missing."

When Lassiter didn´t answer Shawn looked out of the door again. He already knew that his tries to tease the head detective were a lost course today. He clearly had other things on his mind. „So who are these guys?" he then asked again. „You know them?"

„No." Lassiter said a little too quickly to sound honest and walked away. „Excuse me. I have some work to do."

„Just one more sec." Shawn hold him back.

„What?" Lassiter asked annoyed.

Shawn didn´t say anything. He just hold up something that was packed into a green and white paper bag. The ornate writing on it read: Original Irish Corned Beef. Shawn lay it in the detective´s hand.

Lassiter looked down on it and felt awkward for a moment.

„Thanks." he murmured reluctantly.

With that he left the fake psychic behind and vanished behind his files. Shawn was musing though. Something was wrong with that picture. Lassiter hadn´t just walked away from him like he always did. It had almost looked like an escape. Something was definitely troubling him. And it had to do with those two guys from the festival.

...

„We need to do something." Russel urged his friend. They were still walking the streets more for the sake of moving against their anxiety than for any target they would have. They had just reached town and so far they hadn´t even found themselves a hotel to stay in, so what target could they have anyway?

„And what?" Kyle now asked his friend. „Have you thought about that too?"

„Damn Kyle thats the reason we are here." Russel insisted.

„I know, okay? You don´t need to tell me. Its my coin that led us here."

„Yeah and its getting darker and darker each day." Russel agreed. „I don´t know about you but I´m creeped out by that big deal. I mean seriously."

„You think I´m not?" Kyle shot back. „Its my family´s luck thats darkening here."

„Man, how did this guy even come here?" Russel whined. „Shouldn´t he be trapped in the lake Eerie? Wasn´t that the deal you made with him back then?"

„I don´t know how he made it." Kyle said looking at the pavement before his feet. „But he obviously convinced people that he is a POLICE OFFICER."

„Actually he is a detective." Russel corrected. When Kyle stopped in his steps and gave him a face he shrugged. „What? I saw it on his badge."

„I don´t care what he claims to be." Kyle said suddenly quiet angry. „When he is here, something bad is going to happen. We have to stop him. From whatever he plans to do."

„How?" Russel wanted to know.

Kyle sighed. „I don´t know." he admitted. „But one´s for sure. Now that we know its him, that brought us here … we are in much bigger trouble than we thought."

„You bet man." Russel agreed.

Kyle sighed in frustration. He hadn´t want to believe it back then. If Bonny hadn´t insisted on the possibility that it could mean trouble that his coin had shown a dark rim, he might have ignored it until it was too late. Now he knew she had been right. He would apologize to her when they were back home, he decided. How could he have been so blind?

They kept on walking. „We need to call my Granda." he then said and gave his friend a tap at the arm to show him he would cross the street now. Together they walked over to a drugstore that had a phone booth in front of it. Kyle dialed the number of his grandfather´s office by heart and after the third ring he had the familiar voice in the line, his Irish-old-man- accent as thick as ever.

„Granda its me." he said.

„Kyle." the old man cried excited. „What is it, boyo? Did ya find out what is going on witya coin?"

„I´m afraid I did." Kyle said.

„So what is it?" his grandfather sounded worried.

„Its Seamus, Granda." Kyle said. „He is back."

There was a brief silence in the line. „Seamus?" his grandfather finally asked. „Are ya talkin about Seamus McTiernan? Please tell me I got ya wrong."

„No you didn´t."

„Are ya sure its him?" the old man insisted on a second confirmation.

„I talked to him." Kyle said. „There´s no mistake."

Again there was silence on the other end and Kyle could almost see the serious and thoughtful face of his grandfather.

„I´m on my way to ya." the old man said determined. „Don´t do anything before I get t´ya."

Then he hung up.

...

„What are you looking at?" Gus asked when entering the psych office. He had found Shawn sitting on the computer, lots of prints lying on his desk. It almost looked as if his friend was working. Seriously working.

„Dude." Shawn said in a tone of awe. „He´s a basketballer."

„Who is a basketballer?" Gus asked.

„The guy from the fight yesterday. Remember that?"

„Of course I do." Gus replied. „I almost lost my Popsicle when the running dude passed me."

„Yeah, exactly. I´m talking about the guy that got arrested. Kyle Johnson his name is. He is playing for Junior League. I don´t know what his friend is doing exactly but … at least I found his name. Russel Holloway. He plays part time in the same team. I saw them at the station together. This Kyle guy is the most promising player this season. And the last two seasons too."

„So what?" Gus shrugged. „Famous people can misbehave too. Whats the big deal? Why are you investigating that?"

„Ah I don´t know, dude." Shawn admitted. „There was something odd about Lassie. I think he knows the guy."

„And?"

„It doesn´t make any sense. Kyle Johnson was never in Santa Barbara his whole life. And as far as we know Lassie has never been in Kyle´s home town in Utah either. But I found something else that is odd. It seems Kyle was involved in some strange things that happened several years ago." he started to read off one of his printings. „Including trespassing in a food factory, car chases and some strange things that happened on a basketball game, where his team won 76:74. These things got never really solved."

„So what?" Gus asked still not convinced. „The kid had an exciting youth. So did we. Whats the big deal?"

„The big deal is, that Kyle Johnson has neither relatives nor friends here in Santa Barbara. Why is he here, when his team is preparing for an important game next month?"

„Maybe he is on vacation." Gus offered a possibility.

„I don´t know, dude."

„What, is that your new phrase now?" Gus asked.

„What?"

„Whatever." Gus dismissed it. „I have no time for some random investigation we don´t get paid for anyway. I have to make some phone calls to arrange my appointments for the week. So if you excuse me."

While Gus sat down behind his own desk, Shawn leaned back in his seat and thought about the whole thing. What he had found so far didn´t make any sense. Maybe Gus was right and there was no connection at all. But no. He had seen Lassiter´s face when the two guys had left the station. Something was there. Something the head detective of the S.B.P.D. was involved in and what he didn´t want to talk about. Shawn had always been proud of the fact that he had a good instinct when it came about odd things. And this thing was an odd thing. He just had to know what it was.

He stood up and took his jacket and the keys to his motorcycle.

„Where are you going?" Gus asked.

„I want to have another look at this." Shawn said. „Something about all this is bothering me."

„Knock yourself out." Gus just said with a shrug. „But when you are going out anyway, then you can bring me some tapioca from the supermarket. Mine is empty."

Shawn gave him a salute with one finger and walked out of the door.


	3. Family Secrets

**Family Secrets**

The two young men were standing at the bus station. But it wasn´t the bus they were waiting for. Instead it was a big green car that stopped right in front of them. Shawn felt awfully reminded of Christine, seeing this car. He had found Kyle and his friend only five minutes ago and was watching them from behind a tree now. Seriously. If that car had been red and had had a white stripe along its side, he would have totally freaked out. But the car was green not red and it wasn´t a young boy with greasy hair driving it but an old guy with gray hair.

„Granda." Kyle greeted him when he got out of the car. He looked at him confused and then asked: „Why did you shave off your beard?"

„Are ya kidden?" the old guy replied in a thick Irish accent. „So that Seamus can catch me by it again? That is if he is really here."

„Believe me." Kyle said. „He is."

„Tell me what happened."

„You won´t believe that, Granda." Kyle said. „He pretends to be a police man."

„Actually." Russel now chipped in. „He doesn´t just pretend to be one. I checked his file. He went to the police academy and has worked as an officer for four years before becoming a detective. He is head detective for sixteen years now. His vita is water proved. This doesn´t sound like a fake identity."

„How did ya get to those files, boyo?" Granda asked impressed. „They are classified information."

„I hacked the system." Russel answered with a shrug.

Wow, Shawn though. Maybe I should try to get the number of this guy. Could be useful sometimes. In spite of the crazy stuff his friends were talking.

„Are ya sure it was Seamus ya saw, Kyle." Granda now asked. „Maybe ya mistaken him."

„I didn´t mistake him." Kyle insisted. „I talked to him. He knew me. There is no mistake. Its him."

„All right, all right." Granda said, trying to calm his grandson down.

„Granda, my coin led us here for a reason. And now we know who that reason was." Kyle said.

„Yer probably right." Granda admitted. „I just cen´t think of any way that he could have gatten out of that lake you banished him in."

Shawn´s eyebrows shot up. What did he just say? Banished? Was that guy for real?

„I don´t know, but somehow he did." Kyle said.

„I´m still not convinced." Russel argued. „I mean … look at his vita. The man is real. Carlton Lassiter was born in 1969, went to school in Santa Barbara. His mother lives here, his ex-wife. The man doesn´t sound like a phony."

„Did ya talk to those people?" Granda wanted to know.

„No. Should we?"

The old man shrugged. „It cen´t hurt to confirm if those datas a´ real." he said.

„Probably not." Russel agreed. Kyle nodded as well and together they got into that strange green car and drove away.

Shawn had to hurry to get to his bike and to catch up with them. Fortunately the old man stopped on a stop sign even though the whole crossway was clear. Shawn followed them in an appropriate distance. The whole way he was trying to think and get some meaning into what he had heard. Had these people truly talked about Lassiter? Carlton Lassiter? The one Carlton Lassiter that was the head detective of the S.B.P.D.? This black dude had certainly said so several times. But still Shawn had a hard time to believe so. What the hell were they up to? He hadn´t even understood half of what they were talking about. And who was that Seamus guy they had mentioned all the time? It was as if they would believe that Lassiter wasn´t really Lassiter. That he was a phony and someone else who just pretended to be the man that he was. Crap. These guys had to be some crazy folks. That was the only explanation Shawn had for all this nonsense.

The car now stopped at the curbside in front of a house. Shawn stopped his bike at the corner so he wouldn´t be seen and sneaked through the gardens to get closer to them. The three guys had reached the front door now and rang the bell. It took a minute or two before they got an answer. A big woman who´s face had something in common with a bulldog opened the door. Shawn gasped when he recognized her. He had seen a picture of her in Lassiter´s file. It was his mother for gods sake. Why were these guys visiting Lassie´s mom? Oh, god, maybe they planned to kidnap her.

„What do you want?" she barked at her visitors. „I don´t buy anything."

Shawn flinched. He had just reconsidered his first idea. Maybe they were suicidal. Maybe it was actually them who were in danger.

„Excuse me, madame." the old man said politely taking off his hat. „Reilly O´Reilly me name is. We are only here to ask ya some wee questions."

„What are you talking for a crap there?" Mrs. Lassiter asked. „Are you calling that a language?"

O´Reilly looked at his grandson uncertain.

„It doesn´t matter anyway." Mrs. Lassiter dismissed him. „I also don´t take part in questionings. So you can get lost now and bother someone else. Good day."

„Wait." Kyle cried and put a food into the door. „Its about your son. That means … if you really have one."

Oh, man. Shawn tensed and prepared himself to see something very ugly.

„What do you mean if I have one?" Mrs. Lassiter asked annoyed.

„Would you mind telling us if that is him?" Russel asked and showed her a photo.

„Where do have that from?" she demanded to know. „Thats from his police file. Its nowhere else to be found. Who are you. Internal affairs? Is he in some kind of trouble again?"

„So … he is your son?" Russel asked for confirmation again, obviously startled about that fact.

„Of course he is." Mrs. Lassiter barked. „What the hell is all this about? What do you want from Booker?"

„Its notin, madame." the old man assured her. „We just try to …"

„Nothing?" Mrs. Lassiter barked and the shock silenced the little old man. „You people don´t ask questions like that for nothing." She squinted. „You are not from internal affairs, are you? Who are you really?" When neither of them had a quick answer for her, she literally chased them off her front door.

„Don´t you dare to ever come back here again." she yelled after them. „I call the cops and then you _will_ meet my son, you bet you will. ´N´ now get lost!"

Shawn couldn´t believe what he just witnessed. That was definitely Lassie´s mom. No doubt. That much these three guys must have noticed as well. After Mrs. Lassiter had smashed the door close behind her, the three of them were standing on the street, taken aback and contemplative.

„So it is real." Kyle mused startled.

„Didn´t I tell you?" Russel said.

„But how is that possible?" Kyle asked. „How can that be the same person? I know its Seamus."

„I don´t know, man." Russel shrugged. „I only know that the background story of this detective Carlton Lassiter is more convincing than the most fake identities from the witness protection of the FBI."

„Did ya hack this database too?" O´Reilly asked in disbelieve.

„That´s called research, sir." Russel replied. Then he blinked. „There isn´t any witness protection program for leprechauns by any chance, is there?" he asked.

Shawn couldn´t believe what he just heard. Did this dude really just use the words leprechaun and witness protection in one sentence? Now he was sure they had to be some crazy folks. He looked around in the desperate need for some reality and normal people. But right in this moment no one else was around. Not even some playing kids in the gardens of their houses. They had probably heard Mrs. Lassiter yell and decided it was safer to play somewhere else.

„There is only one thing I can think of." O´Reilly said now. „That probably could explain all o´this."

„What?" Kyle wanted to know.

The old man gave his grandson and his friend a meaningful look. „Do you know what a changeling is?" he asked them.

„What?" Kyle asked. „A magical creature´s child that is exchanged for a human child right after it´s born? Are you serious? How could he have done that? He is a grown man."

„He is a leprechaun, Kyle." the old man said shaking his head. „He is not bound to any form at all. If he wanted to he could´ave done it."

„But … I banished him into the lake Eerie."

„I knoo." O´Reilly said nodding. „He must´ave found a way. Maybe he made a bargain wit … uuh I don´t knoo. Wit someone powerful enough to brake that spell ya lay on him."

„But …" Russel chipped in. „Even if he had. This Lassiter guy was born 1969. Kyle´s spell took place barely ten years ago. How does that fit?"

„What were the exact words again, Kyle?" O´Reilly asked.

„If I beat him he would be forced to live forever in the land of my fathers and to never leave the shores of Eerie again."

„The land of yer father." O´Reilly repeated pointing at Kyle in triumph. „Thats it. Yer da was born in 1969 too. Yer spell didn´t only send Seamus to Ohio. It also send him back into the year of yer father´s birth."

„Are you kidding?" Russel cried.

„Thats how it worked." the old man stated matter of factly. „Seamus found a way out o´this spell. And he took over the life of the real Carlton Lassiter, that was born back then. Tha poor child probably got taken to the underground to be raised by goblins."

Russel exhaled. „Wow." he said. „This is so strange."

„I knoo." the old man agreed.

„No, I mean … Why did he become a police man from all in the world? If he just wanted to brake the spell with this changeling thing … he could have done everything. Even coming back to get us for what we did to him."

„Maybe he couldn´t." O´Reilly mused. „I don´t think that he´s a leprechaun any loonger. I guess he is actully human now."

„Yeah, sure." Kyle snorted.

„Ya might laugh about that, boyo. But livin wit the humans can change a person."

„You don´t actually try to tell me that Seamus McTiernan had a change of heart, Granda!" Kyle cried in disbelieve. „He tried to enslave you."

„I knoo." O´Reilly admitted contritely.

„Maybe he became a cop so he can do things with this position." Russel suggested. „I mean … as a police guy you can do things a normal person can´t do. Maybe he plans something."

„But what?" Kyle wondered, trying to think.

The old man sighed. „Whatever it is. We won´t find it out by standin ´round here. Come on, boyos. I have a nice hotel suite, where we can talk in privacy."

He led the two young men to his car and then drove away. This time Shawn didn´t bother to follow them. He had heard enough already.

...

„Wow." was all Gus knew to say to that.

„This is all that comes to your mind?" Shawn complained. „I was hoping for some advice from you. Not just: Wow."

„Did you see any indication for misuse of medication?" Gus asked.

„If I saw what? No. Not even a clue that they were taking drugs or something like that."

„Thats what I meant." Gus replied and then started to think again. „This is the most crazy stuff I ever heard." he said.

„Exactly my words." Shawn agreed. „I mean think of it. Who gets such ideas?"

„Maybe they are paranoid schizophrenics." Gus mused. „That would fit. These people get the craziest ideas if no one stops their process. And if three of them are in on the same construct they support each other in their delusions until it reaches the breaking point."

„What are you talking about?" Shawn asked completely lost in this bunch of scientific termini.

„I´m saying that they might be under some doctor´s care and decided not to take their medication any more." Gus explained his theory. „I don´t know. Maybe they thought the pills they took were part of some conspiracy. Things like that happen. If one is not careful these people can drag you into their delusions. Only that usually these delusions are a little more realistic. But this one is at least original." He thought about it for a second. After that he looked at Shawn and asked him: „Did you at least get my tapioca?"

„What?" Shawn cried. „Dude. Did you hear what I just told you? How can you possibly think of tapioca now?"

„It helps me think, Shawn."

„Oh, for cry out loud. I´ll get you your tapioca." He stopped for a second, listening into himself. „Now that you say it, I could use some too." he found.

„Thank you, Shawn." Gus replied satisfied. Then decided: „I´ll make some phone calls while you are out. Maybe I can find out which doctor they were seeing. He might be interested to hear what his patients are doing."

„Good idea." Shawn agreed.

Gus sat down behind his desk and picked up the phone. „What was the name of the old man again?" he asked. „It might be easier to find him."

„O´Reilly. Reilly O´Reilly." Shawn told him and grinned when he saw Gus´ disbelieving gaze.

„Seriously?" he asked.

Shawn just shrugged and tried not to laugh. He failed and Gus shook his head while dialing the first number of some doctor he knew.

„Dude. I think I go and talk to Lassie about this." Shawn mused before leaving.

Gus covered the mouthpiece with his hand. „Are you sure that´s a good idea?" he whispered.

„I just think its better to warn him, in case these dudes are up to something. Trying to catch him with a tea strainer for example."

„This doesn´t make any sense, Shawn."

„Neither did those dudes." Shawn hold against that. „Seriously. We don´t want Lassie to shoot anyone because of a misunderstanding like that, do we?"

„You´re right." Gus finally agreed with an uncomfortable look on his face. „You better tell him. But don´t forget the tapioca." Someone had picked up on the other end and he turned to the phone with a smile. „Yeah, hallo, this is Burton Guster. I would like to talk to Dr. Cartwright. Thanks, I wait."

Shawn gave his friend a wave and went out of the door to drive over to the police station.

...

Man, that was one of the weirdest cases they´d ever had. Some crazy folks who actually believed Lassie was some sort of a goblin. Man, if that wasn´t weird. Okay, not that Shawn had never thought of Lassie as a weird guy with some strange sides in his psyche – no pun intended. But this was so way off base.

The thing that still wasn´t clear to him was the connection between Lassie and those loonies. How did they know him? And what the hell must have happened back then that they had started to believe such a stupid thing? But then he remembered how Lassie could be sometimes and he denied that question. Seen in the right – or in this case, in the totally wrong light, Lassie´s behavior could indeed cause someone to draw the wrong conclusions. Especially when he was already insane. Still. It was weird that someone truly had drawn conclusions like that. It was weirder than weird. It was … Shawn didn´t even know a word for that. It was just … weird.

He reached the station and parked his bike right before the front door. When he walked in he found Jules and his dad sitting at their desks. But no sign of Lassie.

„Hey, guys." he greeted. „Whats up? Did any of you see Lassie?"

„Oh, you just missed him." Jules told him. „He went out for lunch. But he´ll be back soon. Is something wrong?"

„No." he said and sat down on the edge of her table. „Not really. Just …" he waved the thought away. She looked at him unsure but nodded anyway.

„Okay." she said and then shrugged. „Well, he´ll need twenty minutes or so. If you want to wait."

„I will." Shawn said. He mused for a moment. „Did he … seem … strange to you lately?" he asked. „Or in general?"

„What do you mean, strange?" Juliet asked.

„Nah, I don´t know." Shawn tried to minimize it. „Since that festival is in town … he might be dragged into it after all, don´t you think?"

Jules just shrugged, a confused smile on her lips. „I don´t know." she said. „He might."

Shawn nodded. „His ears didn´t look pointy last time you saw him, did they." he asked.

Jules closed her eyes for a moment as if she was just hit by a wave of hot air. „What?" she cried.

„Nothing." Shawn said and chuckled. „That was just … just kidding. Hello leprechauns."

„Shawn, this is just a legend." she told him as if she was talking to a little kid. „You know, I think _you_ are the one who got dragged too deep into that festival. I mean I´m glad you enjoy it. Its so close to my own heritage after all but … This is a little weird."

„Tell me about it." Shawn said.

„What?"

„Nothing. You know what?" he said and stood up from the table. „I think I could need something to eat, too. Maybe I meet Lassie at the Starbucks you guys use to eat."

„Okay." Jules said, still confused about this whole chat. „I tell him that you wanted to talk to him if he comes back before you met him."

„Thanks." Shawn cried back. „Bye, Jules. Bye, dad. I´ll be home at ten. I promise."

Henry who had actually first raised his hand to wave good bye, dropped it again in an angry manner. He saw Shawn vanishing out of the door laughing. Would that boy never start to act his age?

But Shawn didn´t even think of it. He felt a little relaxed probably for the first time today because of this little joke. Still smiling he mounted his bike and drove to the Starbucks where he knew Lassie and Jules used to grab some lunch. He parked it and was about to dismount when he had already spotted Lassie through the window. But Lassie wasn´t alone. There was a man with him. A fat guy with dark hair and a full beard that looked somehow creepy. Lassie sat opposite of that guy on a table. His lunch bag and coffee stood between them and was forgotten. Whatever it was they were talking about, it seemed to creep Lassie out. And this alone made Shawn feel uncomfortable, not to say really uncomfortable. If he hadn´t known already then he would guess it right now. Something was going on. Something really messy.


	4. The Offer

**Hello again. Sorry for the late update. I hope you are still interested. Thanks for all the great reviews so far. It really inspires me to write more ;)**

* * *

><p><strong>The Offer<strong>

Lassiter had just gotten his coffee and a bag of chicken sandwiches, when he turned around and faced what he would consider his biggest nightmare. He had thought meeting Kyle Johnson again had been a tough thing. But now he looked into a face that was much less pleasant. Oh, god there were truly some higher forces conspiring against him. Was he finally punished for his crimes now? Otherwise he didn´t know how to explain the presence of this man, who was now waving for him to come over to his table.

Lassiter threw a brief look around. Nothing had changed. No one was paying attention. And also his little but hopeless wish that the man would be gone as soon as he turned back to him, was not granted. He was still sitting there. The same face as he remembered him. Fat and ugly under the dark curly hair that he obviously believed to look good on him. Well, it didn´t. It only made him even more ugly in Lassiter´s eyes. Only that Lassiter had never told him that. God, he hated that guy. If he had never seen him again in his life it would have been too early. Now he looked at him, waiting. Demanding. Lassiter had no choice. He would have to go over to him and talk to him. Reluctantly he set his feet in motion.

„Angus." he greeted the fat bastard. He was invited with a gesture to sit down and obeyed. „What are you doing here?" he asked as politely as he could.

„Is tha´a way of greetin an old friend?" Angus asked.

„We are no friends." Lassiter replied dryly.

„Oh, that hurts." Angus said. „One might think a man would be a wee more grateful for wha´he got."

„I kept my part of the bargain." Lassiter stated now getting angry. „We were even years ago. You have no need for being here."

„Oh, but I have." Angus said.

„What do you want from me?" Lassiter demanded to know. „I have nothing that could be interesting for you. Only a life that I´d like to keep the way it is. I build me something up here. I have colleagues, a career."

„I noticed." Angus replied. „Head Detective of the Santa Barbara Police. Impressive. What gives?"

Lassiter had to swallow the words that lay on his tongue. Not that he was afraid of Angus McCleary but it was better not to tell him to go and fuck himself as long as he didn´t know why he was here. So he chose the next best way of saying what he thought.

„There is no easy answer to that." he said. „And I don´t think that you came here, to listen to the story of my life."

„Yer right." Angus admitted with a greasy smile.

„Then why are you here?" Lassiter asked getting more and more impatient. „Talk fast, I have only thirty minutes lunch brake."

Angus chuckled at this. „Ya were always up for a wee joke, Seamus." he said.

„I´m not joking." Lassiter replied. „So you better tell me now or I´m out of here."

Angus shook his head. He looked almost disappointed. „Look at ya." he said. „And tha´is the man who once wanted to be king."

„That´s long ago." Lassiter replied.

„Maybe not." Angus said.

„What do you mean?"

„What wouldya say if I would offer ya to be king?" Angus asked with a glowing in his eyes that startled Lassiter beyond everything. „Ya could´ave everything ya always wanted." Angus said.

For at least a minute Lassiter was too stunned to say anything in return. Eventually he found his voice again and managed it to ask: „Why would you do that?"

„Because if ye would be king in our world, I could rule this world." Angus explained. „The world of humans."

„What would you do with this world?" Lassiter asked startled.

Angus shrugged. „Whatever I want." he said. „So wha´do ya say?"

Lassiter was totally taken aback. He had no idea what to say. Such an offer was clearly something you didn´t get every day. But was this real? Was Angus really serious with that? Somehow he couldn´t believe that. But a look into the other man´s eyes told him that he indeed was serious with his offer. One could think about Angus McCleary what he wanted. But he didn´t offer things without being serious about it. But there was one other thing about Angus´s offers. There was always a price to be paid. Lassiter knew that better than anyone.

„I need to think about it." he said and stood up. Angus grabbed his wrist to hold him back. Obviously it had looked too much like an escape. But that was exactly what it was. So why should he pretend it to be something else? He freed his hand from Angus´ grip with a trained move. It was easy, no struggle at all. Then he repeated: „I said, I need to think about it."

This time Angus didn´t try to hold him back any more.

„Don´t think too long, Seamus." he called after him though.

Lassiter didn´t turn around again. He left the place in desperate need for some fresh air. He needed to get back to himself. There were too many ghosts from the past fooling around in his life lately. Why couldn´t they just leave him alone? He had paid his depths, hadn´t he? He just wanted to get out of here. Back to what he knew as a normal life. He looked up and stopped in his tracks when he saw another familiar face. The one face that would have caused him to curse in silence now if the circumstances had been different. But this time Shawn Spencer represented something that Lassiter truly needed now. A rope to reality. To his life. The life he knew over the last forty years. He never thought that there would be a day when he was actually glad to be surprised by Spencer.

Now that he walked over to him, Shawn gave him a rather serious nod. Something Lassiter wasn´t used to see on the always cocky fake psychic. Did he know something?

„Spencer." he greeted carefully. „What do you want?"

Instead of answering him, Shawn looked over Lassiter´s shoulder to the Starbucks he had just left.

„Who´s that creepy guy you were just talking to?" he asked.

Lassiter had to restrain a smile about the choice of words Spencer had used and that somehow perfectly fit what he thought about Angus McCleary himself.

„Just someone I once knew." he answered briefly. „Is that all you wanted to know?"

„Not quiet." Shawn said. „But let´s skip that for now. I´m actually here to tell you something, that Gus and I thought you should know. Its about your other friend. This guy from the festival, remember?"

„What about him?" Lassiter asked now concerned.

„I was curious." Shawn explained. „So I did some investigation. And as it turned out I was able to overhear some talking our young friend Kyle and his friends had."

„Friends?" Lassiter interrupted. „Plural?"

„As it seems they have some kind of family reunion." Shawn nodded. „His grandpa with the funny name showed up in this big green car that looks like Christine. Only that it is green not red, what makes the comparison somehow strange …"

„Spencer, would you come to the point?" Lassiter cried.

„Certainly." Shawn agreed. „The point is …" he hesitated. „Therefor I have to say, that Gus thinks they are schizophrenics. I think he´s wrong. In my opinion they are just loonies, you see. Only that they are the strangest kind of loonies I have ever heard of. I mean … what they said didn´t make any sense but … they actually didn´t sound like loonies to me. Does _that_ make any sense?"

Lassiter didn´t answer that question. He couldn´t. He also didn´t think that Shawn actually expected any answer from him. The head detective suddenly felt as if he was a suspect that got questioned. And wasn´t that even true? Right now he was.

Then he saw a movement in the corner of his eye and turned his head. There he was again. Angus McCleary, walking by like a usual pedestrian. His eyes were peeking and watching closely every one of their movements. Shawn hadn´t noticed him yet. Angus was in his back.

„Get in the car." Lassiter told the fake psychic.

„What?" Shawn asked puzzled.

„I said, get in the car." Lassiter repeated. „We need to talk, but not here." When Spencer still didn´t move he pushed him over to his vehicle. „Don´t make me cuff you to get you in there." he hissed and went to the drivers side. When he got behind the wheel Spencer was sitting in the passenger seat, looking at him confused. Lassiter didn´t bother to explain himself. He thrusted his coffee and lunchbag into Shawn´s hands, inserted the key and then drove off. He had to get away from Angus.

„Would you mind telling me where we are going?" Shawn asked after they were driving a while. „What´s going on here?"

Lassiter just gave him a look. He couldn´t restrain a grin when he asked: „Your psychic visions don´t tell you?"

„I would like to hear it from you." Shawn replied completely serious.

Lassiter looked at the street again. „What did you hear them talk?" he asked. „Kyle Johnson and his friends?"

„I believe you already know that." Shawn said.

Lassiter looked at him but didn´t give a response. Spencer seemed very uncomfortable all the sudden. He looked around as if looking for a way to escape. And when Lassiter still wouldn´t say anything, he actually demanded: „Okay stop the car."

Lassiter couldn´t believe it. For the first time since he knew Shawn Spencer, the fake psychic was afraid of him. And that now. He had never managed to scare him before. Now he had and he hadn´t even tried for gods sake. That was ridiculous. This whole situation was ridiculous. What was he driving away from anyway? Angus? If Angus McCleary wanted to find him, he would find him. There was no need for keeping up this lame excuse for an escape. So he pulled over and stopped the car at the curbside. They were near the beach promenade now. There was a green field next to the street where they stood. Lassiter could see out over the sea if he turned to his left. But he didn´t. Instead he turned to his right and looked at Spencer. The department´s consultant looked out of his own window as if he truly considered to run away.

„Look at me, Spencer." Carlton demanded. Shawn did it briefly and then his eyes rushed out of the windshield. „I said, look at me." the detective repeated, this time more adamantine. „What do you want to do now?" he asked. „Running away?"

Shawn laughed but it was a nervous laughter. „Now let´s not be ridiculous." he said. „Why should I try to …?" He interrupted himself when looking into Lassiter´s eyes, what seemed to give him the creeps one more time. But there was also confusion in those hazel eyes, Lassiter could see that. Spencer was scared but he didn´t know why. And for some reason that Lassiter didn´t understand himself, this look made him sad.

„You know me for over five years now." he said and confused Spencer even more. „Who do you think I am?"

Shawn blinked in confusion. „You are Carlton Lassiter." he stated matter of factly, a nervous smile on his lips. „Head detective of the S.B.P.D. For over 15 years. A devoted … and sometimes creepy cop, who has a tendency to freak out his coworkers. Like now for example. Especially now."

Lassiter nodded grimly. Then he couldn´t help but smiled. But even with this smile in his face he felt like crying.

„You are right." he said. „That´s me. Has been me for over forty years." He turned away from Spencer and looked out of the windshield, his hands clawing into the steering wheel. „Did you ever wonder, if your life is the right one?" he asked without looking at Spencer. „How things could have been if you did something different on a certain point?"

For a while he got no answer. He hadn´t expected one anyway. If he could have brought himself to look at Shawn right now, he might have seen the most disturbed face ever. Of course. What else could he expect? How was this overgrown kid supposte to understand what he was talking about? He didn´t understand it himself and he was right in the middle of it.

„We all take choices." Shawn suddenly said, much more gentle and understanding than Lassiter would have expected it from the fake psychic. „Sometimes we regret them." Shawn went on. „I took some choices in my life that I regret too. But its not important what could have been. Important is, where we go from there. Every time."

Now Lassiter did look at him. For a moment he hold this gaze sternly. Then he just laughed.

„Look who is talking." he said.

Shawn had to laugh too. „Yeah, look who is talking." he agreed. „That brings me to the question why you asked me in the first place."

Lassiter brushed his hand over his chin, looking out of the windshield again. „I don´t know." he admitted massaging his jaw. „Maybe I just needed some reality."

All the sudden he couldn´t stand it to stay in this car any longer. He had to get out. Out into the fresh air, where he knew he had the sky over his head and not a metallic roof. He walked over the grass a few steps and watched out over the sea. Spencer followed him and stood next to him in silence for a while. It was weird but it wasn´t even awkward to stand side by side like this. Especially since Spencer didn´t talk for a change.

Eventually it was Lassiter who broke the silence again.

„The man you saw me talking to before." he said. „You were right. I know him. From long ago. He came here to offer me … let´s say to offer me a job."

„What kind of job?" Shawn asked.

„That´s complicated." Lassiter avoided a clearer explanation. „But it is a big one. Bigger than being the chief of the S.B.P.D. or even the FBI for all I care."

„Wow." Shawn stated. „But I guess there is a catch."

„I would have to answer him." Lassiter nodded. „He´d be my boss so to say."

„And you don´t want that?"

„I guess he could be up to something." Lassiter explained. „If not today then someday in the future.

„What, you mean … something illegal?" Shawn asked carefully.

„Or even worse." Lassiter admitted frankly. „Angus McCleary is capable of a lot of things. Don´t ask."

„Uuuh. Lassie …" Shawn began, unsure what to make out of that.

„But I was waiting for this opportunity literally my whole life." Lassiter went on without waiting for Shawn to figure it out. His eyes were somewhere at the horizon. „Never really expected it to ever come to me." he said almost dreamy.

Shawn looked at him unsure. „Sooo … then why do you hesitate?" he asked.

Lassiter was still looking over the sea. He took a deep breath. „Living a life like this, changes things." he eventually said. „As strange as it seems but I actually like my life. I like it being the cop that I am. I like the people I work with. O´Hara … the Chief … Dobson … and McNab." He finally turned to look at Shawn. „Even you guys." he said.

„Wow!" was all the fake psychic knew to say.

„I know." Lassiter chuckled. „I barely believe that I´m saying this myself." He looked out over the sea again. „But this is the point right now. My life. And if I like it or not, you and Guster are a part of it. The way my work is part of it. And my marriage. Even the criminals I arrested. This is my life. And I really don´t think that I want to lose it."

Shawn chuckled a little nervous again. „Who said anything about losing your life?" he asked. This time Lassiter didn´t answer. He just looked at him briefly and then back out over the sea again.

In Shawn´s pocket his cell phone started to ring. He picked it up and answered it automatically.

„Yeah?" he answered it.

„Dude, its me." Gus´ voice said.

„Ahem?" Shawn said still absent minded. „Oh, yeah, right." he then remembered. „You … you wanted to do that … that research thing."

„Are you all right, Shawn?" Gus asked.

„Sure I am." Shawn claimed. „Now what do you got?"

„Nothing." Gus said. „That´s why I´m calling. I found absolutely nothing about those three guys ever being in therapy."

„Wait, what does that mean?" Shawn cried. „That you hadn´t called me if you had found _something_?"

Lassiter looked at him frowning.

„Would you try to concentrate, Shawn?" Gus demanded.

„Sorry." Shawn said. „Sorry, I was just … go on."

„That is the point. There is nothing to go on about. Every doctor that could possibly have these three under his care never heard of them."

„They are not from Santa Barbara." Shawn recalled. „Did you think of that?"

„Of course, I did. I pulled some strings. The psychologists I know have a bigger database than I have and they checked the patient files for the offices in Utah. Nothing. So I checked the background of these three guys and their files don´t say anything about any diagnosis of schizophrenia or any other decease for that matter. If they never took any medications …"

„Wow, wow." Shawn cried. „Slow down. What did you just say?"

Lassiter became more and more interested in the talk and turned to him completely now, listening closely.

„I said, that our three suspects got never diagnosed." Gus explained using words his friend would understand better. „Means no one knows that they are ill and delusional. Means that no one had any reason to keep them from building up their paranoid delusions. And that means that they might be in a quiet delicate state of mind. They could actually cause some serious trouble. Did you talk to Lassiter yet?"

„I´m with him right now." Shawn said and looked into the detectives eyes.

„Then tell him that there are three potential labil schizophrenias on the loose in Santa Barbara that are gunning for him – metaphorically speaking."

„Don´t worry, I tell him." Shawn said. But in this moment he noticed that Lassiter´s eyes had fixed a point behind him. He turned around and saw the old man standing there, barely five feet away from him. His funny green car was parked down the street, far away enough so they wouldn´t have heard him coming.

„Dude, I have to go." he told Gus and hung up.

Lassiter had already passed him and was now standing before the old man. The two of them just looked at each other. One thing was for sure. They did know each other, there was no doubt.

„Hallo, Seamus." the old man greeted.

„My name is Lassiter." the detective corrected calmly. „Carlton Lassiter. I would prefer if you called me that way."

The old man nodded and Lassiter mirrored that nod. „What do you want?" he then asked.

„I jus´came to have a wee talk." O´Reilly said.

„About what?" Lassiter asked.

„I wanted to get some things clear." O´Reilly explained and then nodded into Shawn´s direction. „I heard what ya said."

„And?"

Again O´Reilly looked at Shawn and then threw an asking look at Lassiter. The detective turned to Shawn for a moment and understood the unspoken question.

„Spencer, would you leave us alone for a moment?" he asked.

„What?" Shawn cried. „Wait a second. Before I do that, you should know something. That was Gus on the phone. He said that our friend here is probably, no offence, a possible lunatic. Big deal."

„Me what?" O´Reilly cried offended. „That´s insulting."

„I said no offence." Shawn recalled.

Lassiter grinned amused. „Its all right, Spencer." he told him. „I can handle that."

„Are you sure?" Shawn asked. „Because this guy thinks …" he lowered his voice: „He thinks you are a goblin."

„Leprechaun." Lassiter and O´Reilly corrected him unisono and then looked at each other surprised.

But not as surprised as Shawn was. He looked from one to the other and backwards. Lassiter just gave him a nod.

„Its all right." he repeated. „We´ll only talk." He threw a glance at O´Reilly and the old man nodded in agreement.

Shawn raised both eyebrows. But then he saw that Lassie was actually serious about that and decided to let him have it his way. So he turned around to walk away and gave them their privacy. He didn´t come very far though. He had barely walked two steps when he saw that creepy guy from the café again. He was just standing there, next to Lassie´s car. There was no other car around. It was as if he had just appeared from out of nowhere.

Shawn turned his head halfway around, back over his shoulder. Still he didn´t dare to let this guy out of his sight.

„Ehm … guys!" he cried. „You have a moment? We´ve got company."


	5. Confrontation

**Confrontation**

Lassiter and O´Reilly turned around to Shawn. Their eyes fell on the new guest that had joined their meeting unasked and they froze. Shawn had the odd feeling that something was about to happen now. A shooting maybe or something similar. The old man passed Lassiter and looked at the newcomer with a dark face.

„So it was you, Angus McCleary." he said. „I should´ave known. Seamus had many things in petto but to darken oor luck he wasn´t powerful enough. Not even ten years ago."

„What?" Shawn cried. Now he was totally lost. What was that old dude talking about? He looked at Lassiter for an explanation but the detective looked as gloomy as the old man.

„Spencer, get in the car." he ordered.

„What?" Shawn cried now offended. „Are you kidding? I want to know what´s going on here!"

„I told you I need time to think about it." Lassiter cried but this time he was talking to Creepy-guy Angus McCleary. „I´m not ready." he said. „I won´t talk to you now."

„I´m afraid I can´t give ya more time." Angus said.

„Yo infamous …" O´Reilly began to head for him in a rather cute looking old man anger. Creepy-guy just raised a hand and then something happened that blew not only Shawn´s mind away but also the old man. O´Reilly flew at least ten feet through the air and probably would have hurt himself hadn´t it been for his grandson and his friend who suddenly had arrived on the scene. He landed pinpointed at them and threw them to the ground along with him. Shawn couldn´t believe what he just saw.

Lassiter looked at the three fallen figures and then back at the attacker. He did the only thing he knew to do in a situation like that. He pulled his gun. But instead of backing away, Creepy-guy just laughed.

„Wha´is that, Seamus?" he asked. „You wanna shoot me? With´at thing? Come on. You should know better than´at."

He waved his hand again and the weapon flew out of Lassiter´s hand and vanished somewhere behind some bushes.

„Really, Seamus." he said. „Slowly I get the impression that ya don´t appreciate the offer I made ya."

„Offer?" Kyle asked from halfway under his grandfather´s legs. „What is all this here about?"

„Good question." Shawn cried and raised his hand as if in school. „I would like to know that too. Because seriously, dude. That was some kind of a trick. How did you do that? I mean … and how comes that no one but me is freaked out because of that?"

Angus turned to Shawn, looking at him in a creepy way that made the fake psychic back off.

„Leave him alone!" Lassiter yelled. „He´s got nothing to do with this. Spencer, for the last time. Get in the car and drive away. This is none of your business."

„It´s what?" Shawn cried. „Is this supposte to be a joke?"

„It is no jook, boyo." O´Reilly said struggling himself back to his feet. „It´s far from that." Then he faced Angus again. „What didya mean ya have no time?" he demanded to know. „What did he offer yo, Seamus?"

„Yeah and that´s another thing." Shawn chipped in again. „Why the hell do you keep calling him Seamus?"

This time Creepy-guy raised his hand in Shawn´s direction and from one moment to the other Shawn found himself flying through the air, the way the old man had been flying before. He landed on a bush, what was probably the only reason why he didn´t break some bones in the process. But he was pretty shaken up anyway. What the hell did just happen? Where did all these leaves all around him come from?

„Dammit Angus, this is not the time nor the place for this." Lassiter yelled angry.

„I´m afraid´t has to be." Angus replied. „Ye see I´m a little short on time. That´s why I´m here. To get yer answer. Are ya coming to claim the throne again?"

„I knew it." Kyle cried.

„I told you, I need time to think." Lassiter repeated.

„And I told ya there is no time." Angus repeated himself.

„Why?"

Instead of an answer Angus pointed up into the sky. Lassiter and the others looked up but didn´t see anything.

„Ya can´t see it yet." Angus told them. „But very soon, ye won´t be able to miss it."

„I know what he´s talking about." Russel suddenly cried. „There is a total eclipse today. That´s what all this is about, isn´t it?"

They all looked back at Angus again in shock. He just smiled whimsically at them.

„So that is what you really wanted." Lassiter understood. „You want to build a bridge between the worlds."

„What does that mean, Granda?" Kyle asked uncertain.

„When the sun gets dark, the border between the two worlds, the world of humans and the world of the leprechauns, is swapped away." O´Reilly explained, never letting Angus out of his sight. „Usually no one notices´at because it goes by so fast. But when someone is building a bridge between the two worlds in that moment, the gate will remain open forever. Whoever takes the opportunity to build a steady bridge like´at, can rule both worlds. Yo are such a …" he turned to Angus again in rage but stopped talking when Angus raised his hand threatening.

„So that´s your plan." Lassiter finally understood. „Keeping the gate open." He shook his head. „Do you have any idea what that would do to this world? To both of them?"

„It would bring a new order." Angus replied. „Under our care. What do ya say, Seamus? Are ya ready to take over yer throne? Or do ya want to live the life of a mortal and die as an old man?"

Lassiter looked around at the O´Reilly´s. Then he looked over to the place where Shawn was still struggling to get back to his feet after he got kicked out of this discussion so unpleasantly. Lassiter sighed. When he faced Angus again, his face was stern.

„I think I take my chance with a mortal life." he said.

For a moment Angus seemed truly thrown off balance by his answer. But then something else happened. Something that no one had expected in that moment. Another car arrived at the scene.

Shawn who had just managed to get back to the session, looked over at the newcomer and raised both eyebrows. „Jules." he called her. „What are you doing here?"

But he didn´t even need to ask. He had already a pretty good guess, why she was here. Of course it was his fault. If he would have been able to keep his mouth shut back at the station, she wouldn´t be here now. He had talked weird stuff about Lassie and of course that had worried her. He had already seen that back at the station but he had ignored it. How could he have known that something like this would happen anyway? But now she was here and that was his fault.

He didn´t seem to be the only one who expected trouble. Before he even knew it, Lassiter rushed forward and yelled: „Juliet, stay away from him!"

This time it was him who got thrown backwards by that invisible force that came out of Creepy-guy´s hands. Shawn couldn´t do anything but watch. Lassie landed some meters behind him and when he looked back at Jules he suddenly had the strangest impression. It almost looked as if there was some sort of a glowing around her. Did he hit his head that bad? Was he seeing things now? But next to him the old man gasped in awe and Shawn saw on his face that he was seeing the same thing. As well as the boys. But the worst thing was, that Creepy-guy saw it too. And when he saw it, his face was lighting up in a way that couldn´t be good.

„Look a´this." he said. „A Scottish Maiden. And so powerful." He grabbed her so fast that neither Jules nor anyone else really knew what happened before it was over. He was holding her as if he was using her as a shield against gun shots. Only that no one around had a gun. Not even Lassiter. Not anymore.

„Let her go, Angus." the detective now demanded.

„I don´think I will." Angus replied. „Ya really care about her don´t ya, Seamus? Oh, she is powerful. Full of life energy. She will feed our world pretty good for a while."

In this moment, Lassiter didn´t bother to talk any longer but rushed forward to attack. Shawn had no idea how this happened but suddenly they all were doing that. As if Lassiter had given a silent signal, they all rushed forward to attack this Creepy-guy that was holding Juliet hostage. Only that they didn´t come very far. In one moment they were running at him, and in the next … nothing. No movement. They were frozen solid. Like in some bad fantasy movie where the evil wizard stopped his enemies with a wave of his wand. Only that this guy didn´t even have a wand. He didn´t seem to need one.

Angus just laughed and walked over to them, Juliet still in his grip. All her struggling seemed useless against him.

„Ya know what happens to lives like hers when they stay in our world until night comes." he talked to the frozen Lassiter. Of course he got no answer but he nodded nevertheless as if he had gotten a confirmation. „I want ya to take yer place as the king." he repeated his request. „Or yer pretty little maiden here will be a beautiful shooting star tonight. Beautiful but dying in the process." He looked straight into Lassiter´s eyes to emphasize his statement. „Ya have one hour, Seamus. Then I want ya to be there. And so ya can cross the bridge … I give ya back what ya once gave up to live a mortal life."

He waved his hand in front of Lassiter. Nothing happened. At least there was no difference visible. But there was something in Lassiter´s face that looked like he wanted to cry.

„Only for one hour." Angus told him. „If yor not there then …" he looked at Juliet. „... yo can wish on this beautiful shooting star tonight."

With that he literally vanished into thin air and with him Juliet. The moment the two of them were gone, they all were released from the spell that had hold them. Shawn and Russel hit the ground immediately. Kyle and his Granda had to struggle a little but managed it to keep their balance. Lassiter was running the last few steps as if he was still trying to reach Angus and Jules. Then he cried out his frustration loud and angry.

Shawn had to catch his breath before he found himself able to speak again.

„What the hell just happened here?" he asked. He was totally taken aback. His legs were shaking. Did this really happen what he believed, he just witnessed? But the sight of Lassie who had just hauled into the sky and was now dropping to his knees like the classic tragic hero in a Greek tragedy (Irish tragedy in this case) proved that it had to be true. At least partly.

„What was that?" he asked his other companions. „Where is Jules?"

„He took her." Kyle answered.

„Where?"

„To the other world. To Tir Na Nog. The land of the leprechauns."

Again Shawn found himself unable to believe what he was hearing with his own ears.

„Okay, just a second." he demanded. „You guys actually want to tell me that this is real? That it wasn´t just some crazy trick? That all I heard you guys talking about is true?"

The three of them looked at him as if _he_ was the crazy guy. „You were here, weren´t you?" Kyle said. „You saw what happened. How much proof do you need?"

„No, it´s just …" Shawn was desperate. „You want me to believe that you … are fairies?"

„Leprechauns." Kyle and his grandpa corrected unisono.

„And just for the record." Russel chipped in with a raised finger. „I´m not a leprechaun."

„So what are you? A goblin?"

„No." Russel cried offended. „I´m just a guy. Like you."

Shawn turned around to where Lassiter was still kneeling on the ground his head hanging in despair.

„No, I´m sorry." he said. „No. I can´t believe you are not crazy. No. Because if I believe you, that would mean that this guy over there … is not the man I thought that he is?"

He got no instant answer. Kyle and the others were only looking over to Lassiter, with something in their faces that varied from confusion to pity to regret.

„It seems neither is he the man we knew anymore." the old man said at last.

„But … that´s Lassie we´re talking about!" Shawn cried.

The three of them gave him a startled look, he didn´t quiet understand.

„That´s a dogs name." Russel stated.

Shawn shrugged in a defensive manner and got only an amused snort from Russel.

„Tha name is not important." O´Reilly chipped in.

„Right." Shawn agreed. „What is important, is: where is Jules? And how do we get her back?"

„I have to go there." Lassiter´s voice said so close to him that he jumped violently and had to grab his thudding heart.

„Ya can´t go there." O´Reilly argued, totally ignoring Shawn´s almost heart attack. „If ya follow him now, he will use ya to build the bridge … and he will rule the two worlds."

„If I don´t go, Juliet is gonna die." Lassiter hold against it. He stumbled slightly and closed his eyes as if he had a bad headache. Then he lost his balance and would have slipped if Shawn hadn´t grabbed his arm to stabilize him.

„What´s the matter with him?" he asked concerned.

„It´s the power of ´e leprechauns." O´Reilly explained. „He isn´t used to it anymore. Don´t worry. It will pass."

„Wait. You mean he is a leprechaun now?"

„I have no time to wait until it passed." Lassiter said ignoring Spencer´s excitement. „I need to get my partner back."

„We can´t let him go." Kyle said. „He will take the throne when he is there. He always wanted it."

Lassiter looked up from his dizziness, now with fury in his eyes. „You think I wanted this?" he asked the young man. Then he rushed forward, grabbed Kyle´s collar and pressed him against the next treetrunk before anyone could do anything. „You think I wanted my partner to be taken into the other world?" he yelled into the young man´s face. „That her energy gets sucked out of her body and sole while she is alive? You think I wanted this?"

„Oh god, I feel sick." Shawn groaned.

Lassiter released Kyle and took some steps back from him, swaying a little.

„But he is right." O´Reilly said with a calming gesture towards his grandson. „As soon as ya get there, Angus will make ya king, if ya wan´it or not. Ya can´t go."

„I have to." Lassiter insisted.

„Then you will doom both worlds to be ruled by this criminal. You really wan´this, Seamus?"

„I´m a cop." Lassiter said. „I catch criminals."

„Ya lived too long as a human being." O´Reilly argued. „Ya won´t be able to resist his tricks. He will seduce ya into taking the throne. And the world as we know it, will come to an end."

„Don´t worry." Lassiter said and managed a smile. „He won´t trick me. And the world won´t come to an end. Angus needs me to build the bridge. But before I sit on that throne, I´ll shoot myself in the head."

„What?" Shawn cried in shock.

Lassiter just reached out his hand into a random direction as it seemed. A whistling sound was audible and suddenly he held his gun in his hand again. Shawn´s eyes went wide in awe. How the hell?

O´Reilly seemed as surprised as Shawn was. But he overcame it much faster. „Good to knoo ya still knoo how to do´t." he said.

„Maybe I can´t kill _him_ with that gun." Lassiter said. „But it will work on me."

„Lassie!" Shawn cried shocked.

Finally Lassiter turned to him again. He looked at him with a disturbingly kind smile in his eyes. „Spencer." he said gently and turned to him completely. For a moment he just looked at him as if he was searching for the right words. Then he holstered his gun and said: „I´m sorry you were dragged into this. Nothing of this was supposte to happen."

„You´re damn right about this." Shawn replied. „But I forgive you. Just … let´s just go there and bring Jules back."

Lassiter chuckled about this. „You´re not coming with." he said.

„But I will." Shawn insisted.

„No, you won´t."

„You can´t leave me behind." Shawn cried.

„There is no time to argue." O´Reilly chipped in. „The sun is gettin darker every minute. If we don´t hurry it will be too late."

With that he shoved Kyle and Russel over to Lassiter and Shawn and somehow managed it to lay his arms around the two boys so he could reach Lassiter and Shawn as well. The next thing Shawn knew was, that the old man had grabbed his arm and then there was a bright light flashing all around them. He lost the ground beneath his feet and then he was falling. A second later he was already lying on the ground again. All around him he heard groaning. Lassiter, Kyle and Russel were lying on the ground too. So was O´Reilly, but the old man was on his feet much faster than any of them. Shawn was not even on his way to a sitting position yet.

When he used his hands as support, he noticed something odd on his arms. That wasn´t the fabric of his shirt. It was much thicker and felt almost like cotton. His hands shot up to his head and found a cotton hat as well. What? He looked down on himself and had to face the fact that he was wearing a skirt. No wait. What did they call it? These things the Scottish guys used to wear. A sudden fear came up to him and his hands shot down to his legs. When he felt the fabric of the trousers beneath the skirt he exhaled.

„Oh, thanks god." he cried released and dropped back to the ground.

Next to him Kyle and his friend had managed it to sit up now. They reacted to their new dressing as well but less stunned than Shawn.

„Man." Russel commented. „Talk about Dejavu."

Shawn was speechless. He only could look around in awe. Lassie was wearing some weird stuff too. His dress was a red one, with a fitting cape and kilt – kilt, that was the word Shawn remembered now – like they all were wearing one. Lassiter was looking down on his own arms with an expression on his face that talked about stunned recognition. But even more interesting to Shawn right now was their surroundings. Where were they? They were on a hill as it seemed. There were huge stones all around them, that reminded awfully on the famous ring of Stonehenge.

„Seamus!" a voice greeted from out of nowhere. They all turned around and there was Creepy-guy again, also wearing these funny cloths and an oddly friendly smile on his face. „Yer here." he talked to Lassiter walking over to them. „Glad ya could make it."

„Where is my partner?" Lassiter demanded to know.

„Oh, she is here." Angus answered in a chit chat tone, with a motion behind himself. When they followed his pointing they could see Juliet on the other end of the place. She was bound to one of the big stones, like the prisoner of an indien tribe. But she wasn´t the only one bound to that stone. There was another woman next to her. A woman with dark skin and beautiful black hair. Both of them were wearing white ancient dresses and their gazes were terrified – and empty. They were staring into a distance only they could see. As if they didn´t see or hear anything of what was going on around them.

„Bonny!" Kyle cried in shock. „What is she doing here? She wasn´t supposte to be here."

„Oh, I colled her." Angus explained. „Thought it would be nice if she would join us."

Kyle threw a gaze full of fury at Angus and then he ran over to her. Shawn and Lassiter were running too. When they reached Juliet, her gaze was still the same. She didn´t turn her head to look at them nor did she seem to breath. Lassiter brought his ear to her mouth and exhaled in relief but only for a second. Next to them Kyle tried unsuccessfully to wake up his girlfriend. Neither Bonny nor Jules would react to anything.

„What´s the matter with her, Lassie?" Shawn asked full of fear.

„What did you do to them?" Lassiter demanded to know, turning back around to Angus.

„Oh, nothing." Angus assured him. „They´re just stonned by all these wonders tha´happen all´round them. They are human, don´t forget´at."

Lassiter exchanged a glance with Shawn, before he faced Angus again. „I´m here." he said and stepped forward. „Let them go. All of them."

„Oh, I will." Angus promised. „As soon as we finished fo wha´we came here."

„That was not part of the deal."

„Until now we didn´t have a deal, Seamus." Angus recalled. Then he smiled mischievously. „Do ya want to make one?"

„I already made one with you." Lassiter replied gloomy. „And I fulfilled the bargain. I gave you all my powers. Plus the luck that I had stolen once. What else do you want?"

„I want to give it back toya." Angus said generously.

„I didn´t ask for that." was all Lassiter would reply.

„Ya disappoint me, Seamus." Angus said. „I offer ya to be a king. There was a time when ye´d never hesitated to take it."

Lassiter sighed and lowered his head. He looked back at Juliet and then at Shawn again. There was something in his eyes that startled the fake psychic. He had seen Lassiter like that before but usually this gaze would come up right before he would get a chance to fire his weapon in the line of duty. But the really creepy thing was, that this time, he didn´t seem to be happy about it. Quiet the contrary.

„All right." the detective finally said, facing Angus again. „I´m comin with you. But only if you let them go first."

„I´m afraid that´s not possible." Angus said. „I still need them ya see. Ya know how the ceremony has to be performed. Two kings from two worlds have to be crowned by two beings from each world in the contrary direction."

Now Lassiter started to remember. „And one being that contains both worlds, has to seal the crowning." he finished the description. His head turned around by itself and he looked at Kyle Johnson. „So that´s why you lured them to Santa Barbara." he understood. „It was no coincidence that his coin went black."

„Now all parts are together in the same place." Angus confirmed with a satisfied nod. „The ceremony can begin. Are ya ready, Seamus?"

Lassiter threw a desperate look behind himself, where Shawn was still trying to wake up Juliet from her catatonic state, where Kyle was holding Bonny in his arms in a protective manner. Then he looked at O´Reilly and the other young man, who he had known when he and Kyle had still been kids.

„I´m waiting for yer answer, Seamus." Angus urged, slowly getting impatient. „Will ya come with me to fulfill yer destiny?"

Lassiter looked at him again. His eyes had started to glow at these last words and after another moment he actually smiled. Now that was the look Shawn knew from Lassie when he knew he could fire his gun at a criminal.

„All right." he said. „I´m coming. After all, destiny is waiting for no leprechaun, is it?"

„Exactly." Angus agreed. He waved his hand and all the sudden three big guys appeared from behind the stones as if they had been waiting there all along. They walked over to O´Reilly and the others like prison guards. „I recommend yer cooperation, gentlemen." Angus said. Then he nodded at a fourth man who had appeared by the stone where Jules and Bonny were bound. He was big, with broad shoulders and a mean looking face. His short cut brown beard made him look like a bear in cotton cloths. He chased Shawn and Kyle away from the two women and made them join Russel and O´Reilly. The threat was unmistakable. Lassiter gritted his teeth.

„You must promise that you´ll let them go, after I fulfilled my destiny." he demanded.

„Of course I will." Angus assured him.

„Your word on it." Lassiter demanded once more, holding out his hand.

„Oh, by the love of Mike, if ya insist on that." Angus groaned and gave him his hand.

„Done." Lassiter replied and shook it.

„So can we go now?" Angus asked but it wasn´t a question.

His men shoved O´Reilly and all the others forward. Only the big guy that stood next to Jules and Bonny remained at his poste. He would watch the prisoners until it was over. Until everything was over.


	6. Bridging the Worlds

**Bridging the worlds**

Shawn and the others reached the end of the hill, where they could look down. What he saw was totally unexpected. It was the Irish festival he and Gus and Jules had visited the day before. He could even see the cart where he and Gus had got themselves their Popsicles.

„What?" he cried and looked around. „Since when is there a hill behind the festival place?"

„There is one now." O´Reilly explained. „That´s the eclipse. The two worlds are olready connected. This side is the other world. Down there is the world ya know."

„I see." Shawn said.

They were now walking down the hill and he could already hear the music that was played on the festival. Some fast rhythmic Irish dance music, played by that awesome group of singers. The Celtic Women. A day earlier he had seen Gus and Jules dance to that music. Gus had been better. Much better. He himself had been wise enough to not even try. His feet were not meant for things like that. He would rather break his toes in the process.

They now crossed the border between the shadow thrown down from the half completed eclipse and the still shining sunlight and entered the crowd. It was strange how normal everything seemed.

„Mr. McCleary!" a man cried and came running to them eagerly.

„Timmy." Angus greeted.

The little cheesy guy stood before them with an all business look on his face. He looked like a lawyers secretary in his shirt and brown waistcoat. Skinny as he was, he could have been a bookkeeper as well. But the weirdest thing about him was … he looked awfully similar like … Lassiter. He could have been his brother. If one ignored the fact that he was smaller and that there was no scowl imaginable on this face. Maybe brother was too much to say. But he could have been his cousin third grade.

„Excuse me." Shawn raised his hand. „Who are you?"

„This is Timmy." Angus answered for him. „My personal assistant. For thirty years now."

Lassiter had paled looking at the skinny man. „He is the child I replaced." he understood.

„What?" Shawn cried. „Dear god. You mean that was supposte to be the real Carlton Lassiter?"

He looked at the guy again and just couldn´t believe it. „I never thought that I would ever say that. But I´m glad that you are the way you are, Lassie. Despite all your obsessive and slightly cracked up attitudes. But this …" He chuckled and shook his head, when he tried to find the right words to describe the other man he saw. „I´m sorry if that sounds cruel but … I think you both were better off with this exchange."

„Thanks, Spencer." Lassiter said in a tired tone while poor Timmy looked just confused.

„Is everything ready, Tim?" Angus asked his assistent.

„Yes, sir." the little guy answered eagerly, happy to know again what was wanted from him.

„Then you might go and announce us." Angus said and little Tim hurried through the crowd to a stage that was in the middle of the place.

Shawn threw a look back over his shoulder to the hill they had just left. He noticed that no one in the crowd seemed to notice it.

„This is weird." he said.

„What ya mean?" O´Reilly asked startled over his comment.

„The people." Shawn said. „Don´t they wonder why there is a big hill behind the place all the sudden?"

O´Reilly shook his head. „For them this hill has ever bin there." he explained. „That´s the effect of the eclipse. The two worlds are gettin one right now. For all these people this hill has always bin there. They don´t knoo the difference."

„So … you mean this is not just some optic trick? They could actually walk up there?"

„Of course." O´Reilly said and then he understood. His eyes started to glow and he nodded smiling.

On the stage little Timmy was now talking to the crowd.

„Ladys and Gentlemen." he cried with his high almost squeaking bookkeeper-voice. „Ya have joined us over these last few days in celebrating the fabulous Irish culture with joy and passion. And because ya did, this festival is what it is. A great success and unique magical event."

Some in the crowd nodded and agreed with him by applauding.

„So now that we come to the end of this last day …" he went on and got some disappointed cries from the audience. „... we invite ya once more to join us … when we crown the two kings of the new Irish world and the other world, the world of the leprechauns and fairies. In order to combine the two worlds and make´em one."

The crowd started to applaude at this again while Angus and his little group of hostages, that included Lassiter, the two O´Reillys and Russel, were led up to the stage. Shawn didn´t seem to be invited to this performance.

„Is that Lassiter up there?" he suddenly heard the voice of his dad.

He looked around and found him a few feet away in the crowd, together with chief Vick and Gus. Another quick look around told him that no one was watching him any longer. Obviously Angus was convinced that he, Shawn, was no threat to him. And wasn´t that true? Of course it was. He couldn´t do anything, as long as he had the two women as a pledge. Not alone at least.

„I think he is." chief Vick said now. She shook her head and laughed. „I had no idea that he was helping with these performances."

„Actually he wasn´t." Henry stated. „He was completely against the idea to even come near this festival."

„Well, maybe he changed his mind." the chief suggested.

In this moment Shawn had reached them. „Dad." he cried. „We have a problem."

„Shawn." his father said and looked him up and down. „What the hell are you wearing?"

Shawn, who had been on the edge until now, barely able not to jump up and down in his excitement, halted now and lay his head askew. „Really?" he asked. „You don´t wonder about the hill, but you criticise my clothings?"

„What are you talking about?" Henry asked. „Why should I wonder about the hill, for gods sake?"

„Never mind." Shawn said. „Guys. We have a major problem." he now addressed them all. „It´s Jules. She is taken hostage. Up there on the hill. She and another woman." The three of them were listening very closely now.

„Mr. Spencer start at the beginning." chief Vick demanded.

„If I do that we´ll still standing here tomorrow." Shawn cried.

„Is it the three schizos?" Gus asked worried.

„No." Shawn said. „Yes. I mean. Sort of. But it´s not them."

„What?" chief Vick asked confused looking from Gus to Shawn and the other way around.

„See the guy up there, with Lassiter? That´s the bad guy." Shawn explained as simple as he could. „I can´t explain it right now." he said. „But we have to hurry. Lassie tries to stall us some time. But we have to be quick, before he shoots himself."

„What?" came it from all three the same time.

„That´s … hard to explain." Shawn said. „But we need tu hurry. We must get Jules and Bonny free before they finish this act up there."

„All right." the chief said dismissing all the parts she didn´t understand and focussing on the ones she did understand. She pulled her gun. „Henry, you´re coming with me. We will approach them from behind."

„Sweet." Shawn cheered. „Gus and I create a diversion."

„You´ll stay put, Mr. Spencer." the chief ordered. „You don´t even have a weapon."

„Oh no, that´s all right." Shawn assured her. „There is only one guy up there. And he doesn´t have a gun either."

„There is only one guy?" Henry repeated in disbelieve. „Are you kidding?"

„No. He is a really big guy." Shawn said. „And he is mean."

Chief Vick closed her eyes for a second and shook her head.

„All right then." she said. „Whatever. One of my detectives is in trouble. So let´s go."

While they were leaving the place to climb up the hill, on the stage Angus and Lassiter were standing opposite of each other now. O´Reilly was placed next to Lassiter and Russel next to Angus. Kyle had a special position on a small platform in the middle of the whole setup. There was a book in front of him as if he were a priest who was about to perform a marriage. In the background there were Angus´ men, watching them closely and making sure that no one got any crazy ideas.

„Read the words, boyo." Angus ordered Kyle in a quiet voice.

Reluctantly Kyle opened the book. He picked a page completely randomly and still he immediately found the words, that were inquired to seal the ceremony of the crowning. He swallowed dryly and then he began to read.

„Get on your knees." he said.

Angus went down to one knee dignified like a man that was about to be knighted. Opposite of him Lassiter did the same.

„Do you, Angus McCleary and you Seamus McTiernan swear to rule the people of the two worlds the way their laws and customs demand it, each of you in the world he is supposte to rule?"

Some people in the crowd laughed when they heard this speech, in plain believe that all of this was meant as a nice little joke.

„I swear." Angus said. He looked over to his fellow man and gave him a demanding look.

„I swear." Lassiter echoed the words through gritted teeth.

Angus smiled at him. „One day you´ll thank me." he said quietly.

...

On the hill Shawn and Gus had almost reached the ring of stones. Finally realisation seemed to come home to Gus and he looked at the stones with confused wide eyes.

„What the hell is going on here, Shawn?" he asked. „This hasn´t been here all these years, has it?"

„No, it hasn´t." Shawn affirmed.

„But … just some minutes ago I was sure that … I don´t know."

„I know, dude." Shawn whispered now that they had reached the stones. „This whole thing is totally weird. It´s almost like an X-file case, I tell you."

He ducked behind the stone and peeked around it. He searched the ring with his eyes to see if he could spot chief Vick and his dad anywhere.

...

„Do you swear that you will do everything in your power, to speak law and justice with mercy the way it is supposte to happen in all courts in both worlds?" Kyle read the next passage of the speech.

„I swear." Angus said and shortly after that Lassiter said the same.

...

„Dude, there they are." Shawn whispered and pointed over to a big stone behind the big guard. Gus peeked around the corner and spottet Henry and chief Vick who had taken position there. They had seen them too.

„That´s our cue." Shawn said and popped up from out of their hiding place. Not even Gus´ desperate Shawn crying was able to stop him now. The guard spun around when he noticed the motion.

„You!" he cried.

„Hi there." Shawn greeted. „We were bored down there." he said. Now Gus had made himself standing up as well. „So we thought we accompany you up here a little. You know the view is so much better up here."

„Stay away." the guard ordered but of course Shawn was already on his way to cross the field between the stones.

„No worry." he said. „We don´t want to make any trouble. We just want to have a look at this amazing … construction-side. I mean Gus here was always a fan of the traditional architecture and this …"

The guard had started to roll up his sleeves and prepared to grab Shawn and Gus, when chief Vick and Henry came out of their hiding place, weapons aiming at the man´s back.

„Freeze." she cried.

„Hands in the air." Henry demanded.

The man turned around and looked at them in disbelieve. He slowly started to raise his hands. Shawn guessed it just in time and cried a warning. The two of them managed it to avoid the blast but they lost their guns and the wave threw them to the ground anyway. Shawn could see the confused expression on his father´s face. They still had no idea what they were dealing with. That they were actually in a battle with leprechauns. It was almost funny. He had always claimed to have some sort of a magical gift and now it was actually Lassie who had the magical powers.

In that moment he remembered something from the day before.

„_Why did you shave your beard, Granda?"_ Kyle had asked.

„_Are ya kidden?"_ O´Reilly had replied. _„So that Seamus can catch me by it again?"_

...

„Will you with all your power keep up the laws of the Little People of Tir Na Nog and the creed to the powers of the rainbow?" Kyle read. „Will you protect and conserve the holy union between the two worlds that we are about to create with this owe …?"

...

Shawn had no idea what he was doing when he jumped on the back of the big leprechaun-guard. He just followed his instincts the way he always did and the way it usually worked in at least eighty per cent of the cases. He clung to the guys shoulders, reached forward to his face and buried his fingers in the short hair of the guys beard. He lost grip of it and got almost thrown off. But he somehow got the beard again and this time he didn´t let go.

„I´ve got him!" he yelled over to his very confused father and chief Vick.

„Shawn, what are you doing?" Gus cried, totally taken aback by the sight of his friend sitting on this guys back clinging to his beard and crying `I have him!´

„No time to explain." Shawn cried desperately trying not to slip off the guys back. „Hurry! Get Jules. I can´t hold him for long!"

...

„ … who are bound to their duties," Kyle read. „grant their rights and duties the law of the leprechauns has granted them from the beginning of time?"

„I swear I will." Angus said.

„And so will I." Lassiter added.

Kyle swallowed. „Bring the crowns." he said and the guards handed two crowns over to Russel and O´Reilly, so they could set them onto the heads of the new kings. The very moment they would do that, the ceremony would be over and the bridge between the two worlds would be established. Above them the sky had turned darker now. It looked as if a heavy rain was over them though no cloud was to be seen. The eclipse was almost complete. Russel and O´Reilly looked down at the crowns in their hands with despair. The last part was theirs and there was no way of delaying it any longer.

„Remember your promise." Lassiter whispered over to Angus. „As soon as I fulfilled my destiny, you´ll let them go."

„A good Irishman is always a man of his words." Angus said smiling. Lassiter nodded at him. He didn´t smile.

The two crown carriers took their position, each in front of the man they were supposte to crown. Lassiter looked up at O´Reilly.

„Repeat the words that I will read now." Kyle said with a dry throat. „I swear to fulfill and to protect …"

„I swear to fulfill and to protect …" Angus and Lassiter repeated the words unisono.

„… all the things that I promised here today."

„All the things that I promised here today."

„By the power of the sacred shamrock."

„By the power of the sacred shamrock." the two kings said.

Kyle closed his eyes for a moment. „Crown them." he read the last words. „So the bond will be sealed … and the two worlds be one forever."

Above them in the sky, the eclipse was complete now. Angus lowered his head in preparation to get the crown. Lassiter threw a look up and looked into O´Reilly´s eyes. His hand had wandered beneath his cape and was now lying on his gun. The old man had seen it and looked at him with sad eyes. But then he nodded. Lassiter nodded as well. They understood each other.

Then he lowered his head as if to get the crown. He took one last deep breath to prepare himself. His fingers were clinging to the cold steal of his gun. So many times he had fired it to keep up law and justice. So many times he had believed that he had done the right thing. If those times had been right he didn´t know for sure. But he knew this one thing. What he was about to do now, was not only the right thing, it was the only thing to do. He had chosen the words well, he had made Angus promise. As soon as he fulfilled his destiny, O´Hara and the others were free. And this here was his destiny, he now knew that. It had been his destiny all along. He had never been meant to live this life of another man. No matter what Spencer had said. He had stolen this life and now he would pay for it.

The crowns were slowly lowered down. Lassiter – he still wanted to think of himself as Lassiter not Seamus. Seamus McTiernan was dead. Carlton Lassiter was the man he was today and if he was supposte to die, he at least wanted to die by that name – pulled his gun and put it to his temple.

„Objection, your honor!" someone cried.

The crowd gasped in surprise and turned around to see who was disturbing the show. And then Lassiter heard another voice that made the hand that hold his gun, shake with relief.

„Carlton!" O´Hara cried. „Carlton, don´t do it!"

A hand grabbed his wrist and he was dragged up to his feet. „What is´at?" Angus demanded to know looking at his gun.

Lassiter threw a glance down to the audience. He spotted Spencer and his partner, who struggled their way through the crowd. „That´s not important anymore." he replied with a grin. „It´s over. The crowning is not gonna happen."

O´Reilly and the two young men cheered at this. A young woman ran up to the stage and joined them. Kyle immediately hugged her when she reached him. He was laughing happily and so were the others. O´Hara and Spencer were standing at the edge of the stage now, looking up at him. Spencer gave him a thump up and for the first time since he had seen Kyle Johnson´s face in his station, Lassiter felt good again.

„Angus McCleary." he said. „I arrest you for kidnapping my partner and for attempted conquer of the human realm."

„Ye must be kiddin, Seamus." Angus said.

„I´m not." Lassiter replied still grinning.

„This is not over, Seamus." Angus said and pushed him back with his hand – or better with what came out of his hand. Lassiter flew backwards but this time he only flew a meter, so that everybody who didn´t know what happened, had to believe he´d only been pushed very hard.

„Let it be, Angus." O´Reilly cried. „It´s over. The eclipse has passed. There is no bridge to be build anymore."

Angus looked up into the now slowly brightening sky and cursed in silence. When his gaze fell on Lassiter again, it was full of hate. Immediately O´Reilly stepped halfway between the two opponents. But Angus didn´t even pay attention to the old man. He was staring at Lassiter, building up his need for revenge. He made a swipe to attack but in this moment not only O´Reilly but also Kyle was next to Lassiter. Together with their combined powers, the three of them threw Angus from his feet. The fat leprechaun landed on his butt with a surprised groan. The audience gasped and then there was a stunned silence. Everybody wondered what they´d just seen.

„Halleluja! The king is beaten!" Shawn cried out loud and jumped up onto the stage. „The tyran is beaten!" he cried with his hands in the air. It worked. All the sudden the audience was hauling and clapping enthusiastically. Shawn threw a brief look over his shoulder at Lassiter and the others. O´Reilly came forward and stood next to him, addressing the audience.

„That´s right!" he cried throwing his fist up in a victory position. „And now it´s time to send ´im back where he belongs."

„To the dungeon." some enthusiastic guy cried.

„No!" O´Reilly replied as if the idea was idiotic. „We´ll send ´im back where he came from. Those are the rules. Now I need ya all that you are of the Irish blood here, to help me send ´im away. Say it with me together. Away. Away. Away."

Juliet was the first who joined in with him. Then Lassiter and Kyle and though they were not Irish of their own, Shawn, Gus and Russel joined in as well, simply overcome by the power of the words. Eventually the audience started to join in one by one and soon there was a choral speaking that repeated it over and over again. Away – Away – Away. Away – Away – Away.

From his place on the ground Angus started to snarl in anger, but all his energy was lost in this battle. The constant Away finally did its work and when the next wind boe rushed over the crowd and into the stage, he got carried away and vanished in a cloud of glittering dust. For a moment the audience was stunned again. But this time they overcame their astonishment much faster, simply accepting the seen thing as a very well done special effect. Again they applauded and cheered. What a great performance it had been.

Juliet climbed up the stage and gave her partner a happy hug, what made the audience cheer even more. Shawn looked at Gus in front of the stage, where Jules had been standing before and went down to his knees to give him a fist bump. When his dad and chief Vick had managed it to find their way through the people, the sun in the sky was getting brighter again and the day was actually a day again.

Shawn turned back to Lassiter again. Just in that moment something happened to the detective slash leprechaun. He had both arms opened and he looked down on himself as if he was missing something.

„Lassie?" Shawn asked. „What is it?"

But Lassiter only looked at him confused as if he didn´t know it himself. It was O´Reilly who finally gave him the answer. The old man nodded smiling. „It´s the trade, Seamus." he said. „Angus gave ya yer powers back only for one hour. Now they are gone again. I´m afraid there is nothing we can do about it."

Lassiter smiled at him. „That´s all right." he said. „I did good without them these last forty years."

„What does that mean?" chief Vick asked now standing next to Gus, looking up to them confused.

Shawn was about to say something when O´Reilly stopped him and shook his head with a knowing smile. Shawn needed a few seconds but then he understood. He turned back to the chief and smiled at her.

„It means nothing." he said. „Just part of the play."

The chief looked at Henry with raised eyebrows but then she seemed to accept what he had said. And so did Henry. It was amazing. They had been up there with him but now they truly didn´t remember anything as it seemed. How was that possible? What about Gus? Had he forgotten too? But a look into his friend´s face told him that he hadn´t. He still remembered – and so did Jules – what they had been through on this hill that now was slowly vanishing with the increasing sunlight. The gate between the two worlds was closing itself again and barely someone would even remember that they had ever seen the other side, even if it had been only from far away.

Shawn turned around to O´Reilly and his grandson. „Don´t you have to go?" he asked with a motion of his head at the hill. „Before the gate is closed, I mean."

„What?" Kyle laughed. „No way, dude."

„I lived in this world for over four hundred years." O´Reilly told him. „I´m too old t´ change my address again."

„Same here." Lassiter agreed and made O´Reilly look at him. The old man smiled at his former enemy and the smile was returned.

„Ya truly took a good decision, Seamus." he said and then halted. „Carlton." he corrected himself. He reached out his hand and Lassiter took it. „I´m proud to call ya´a fellow leprechaun." O´Reilly said.

„Not anymore." Carlton replied with a smile.

On the second stage that was on the other side of the place, music started to play again. The audience turned around and when a group of young women all dressed in long white dresses entered the stage, they applauded again.

„Ouu. That´s what I was talking about!" Shawn cried excited tapping Lassiter´s shoulder. „Seriously, you have to hear that. It´s awesome."

„Then why a´we still standin here?" O´Reilly asked. „Let´s go celebrate."

And together they left the stage where they had defeated the evil leprechaun and went down to join the already dancing people.

...

Soon they were just overwhelmed by the energy the music created. O´Reilly started to step to the rhythm right away and Kyle and Bonny joined in with great pleasure. Gus of course was more than happy to join in too but it was Lassie´s dancing that made them all cheer and applaud and what made this festival end with a real highlight. No one believed they had ever seen him happier before this day.

Shawn took his fingers to his mouth and whistled like a sportsfan in the stadium. Next to him Jules did the same, though her whistle was a little weaker than his. But to make up for it, she was clapping more enthusiastically.

When the song was over Lassiter threw his hands in the air, shouting: „I am the …" and stopped when he realized what he was doing. Everybody looked at him startled, except for Kyle and his grandfather.

„You are … what?" Gus asked.

Lassiter looked over to O´Reilly again and got an understanding smile from him. This somehow released him and he smiled. „I am the luckiest man on earth." he said.

„You should have come here with us earlier." Juliet told her partner. „That was amazing."

„It´s long ago since I did this." Lassiter replied flattered. Then he turned to Shawn. He was still smiling happily. „Thanks, Spencer." he said.

Shawn raised both eyebrows and then pointed at him with his finger. „Now, I really believe it´s a holiday." he said.

„We have to talk about a lot of things." Lassiter said seriously, addressing them all.

„That can wait." Juliet said. „For now we celebrate." She gave her partner another hug and told him: „We´re glad you´re still with us, Carlton."

„We really are." Shawn agreed.

„That´s true." Gus chipped in.

Lassiter looked at him and raised an eyebrow. „You didn´t even know what was going on before you came here." he said.

Gus answered him with a blank face. „You better be a little more grateful." he said. „Cause now I do."

„Is that supposte to be a threat, Guster?" Lassiter asked.

„Maybe." Gus replied.

„Guys." Jules chipped in, holding Lassiter back who was about to walk in on Gus. She chuckled though. „Come on." she said. „You can play with each other tomorrow again. Now I want to dance. So what is it? Must an Scottish Maiden beg before she is asked to dance?"

Lassiter and Gus were looking at each other for a few more seconds. Then they both cracked and smirked at each other.

„My dear lady." Lassiter said offering Jules his arm.

„It´s about time." she replied and linked arms with him.

Shawn and Gus watched the two of them walking a few steps before they faced each other for the dance.

„I´m next." Shawn said. „And the next, and the next … and the next, of course. You know that."

„Of course." Gus said with rolling eyes.

„But for now let him have this one." Shawn went on looking at Lassiter again. „He deserves it."

„You know that´s right." Gus replied. Then he peeked at Shawn with asking eyes.

„What?" Shawn asked.

„You still didn´t get my tapioca, did you?"

„Seriously, dude?" Shawn cried. „We just saved the world by defeating an evil leprechaun."

„I know." Gus replied.

Their argument went on while the next song had started and the clear voices of the singers echoed into the distance, while the people on the place were dancing to it.

_I don´t know if you can see_

_The changes that have come over me_

_These last few days, I´ve been afraid _

_That I might drift away._

_I´ve been telling old stories, singing songs_

_That made me think about where I´ve come from_

_That´s the reason, why I seem so far away today._

_..._

_Let me tell you that I love you_

_That I think about you all the time._

_Caledonia you calling me, now I´m going home,_

_If I should become a stranger_

_Know that it would make me more than sad._

_Caledonia´s been everything I´ve ever had._

_..._

_Now I have moved and I´ve kept on moving_

_Proved the points that I needed proving_

_Lost the friends that I needed losing,_

_Found others on the way._

_I´ve kissed the fellows and left them crying_

_Stolen dreams, yes, there´s no denying._

_I´ve travelled hard sometimes with conscience flying, _

_Somewhere with the wind._

_..._

_Now I´m sitting here, before the fire,_

_The empty room the forest choir,_

_The flames have cooled, don´t get any higher_

_They´ve withered now they´ve gone._

_But I´m steady thinking, my way is clear_

_And I know what I will do tomorrow,_

_When hands are shaken and kisses float_

_Then I will disappear._

_..._

_Let me tell you that I love you,_

_That I think about you all the time ..._

* * *

><p><strong>authors note: The song Caledonia belongs to Celtic Women and was only used here because it fitted so damn well to this story. I don´t own the Celtic Women or their wonderful music.<strong>

**Also, for all of you who are interested: There is a sequel coming up, so keep your eyes open for it if you like. Thanks for all your kind reviews. You guys are great.**

**And thanks for reading.**


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